When your favorite film loses the Best Picture Oscar on
Sunday night, don't be surprised. While it's no
secret Academy voters aren't exactly the most fair or progressive bunch,
it's always disheartening to be reminded of the fact that many Oscar
voters—like many American voters, really—are bordering on senility, a little bit sexist, a lot a bit
racist, and really just looking out for their own
sexist, racist, and limited interests.

This year, The
Hollywood Reporteris interviewing five "brutally honest" voters about
their ballots. The first report, published on Wednesday, highlights a "longtime
member" of the Academy's directors branch. Amongst his many opinions, he
believes 12 Years a Slave is not a
"courageous" movie, that Jared Leto is only nominated because of the "person
he's playing," that Woody Allen is facing a lot of "absurd bullshit," and that American Hustle is basically the best
thing ever.

Honestly, there's a great chance this "brutally
honest" voter is either David O. Russell or David O. Russell's greatest
fan.

And while this voter is only one man with one of the 6,028 ballots,
it's fair to say he's probably not the only member of the Academy who believes Slave is overrated, that Leto's
performance is "pandering," and that poor Allen is being unfairly attacked. If
that's the case, does it mean American
Hustle, Russell, and Jennifer Lawrence
will be taking home more awards? Is 12 Years a Slave just too much for old, white male voters?

With 12 Years a Slave, you don't even
crack a smile, but it was interesting, admirable and well done; I must say,
though, that contrary to what some have asserted, it's not as if it required
great courage to make that movie — maybe if you made it in Mississippi in
1930.

Best Director:
David O. Russell

Why not Alfonso Cuaron, the director many expect to win?

Cuaron was part of a committee of
technicians who made that movie, and I have seen things at the planetarium that
were at least as impressive.

Best
Actor: Christian Bale

Why not Matthew McConaughey, the actor many expect to win?

McConaughey was very good; he's really doing some
great stuff now, and I would give it to him for True Detective.

Best
Actress: Cate Blanchett

Why not Sandra Bullock, the dark horse in the best actress race?

Bullock is the weak link — she's just OK.

Best
Supporting Actor: Bradley Cooper

Why not Jared Leto, the actor who is considered a lock?

Jared Leto was good and will win, but
he's getting tremendous points because of the person he's playing more than the
way he played it, which is as close to pandering as you can get.

Best
Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence

Why not Lupita Nyong'o, the odds-on favorite?

Lupita was very good, but a lot of the
commotion over her is attributable to people's tremendous empathy with and
sympathy for the role she's playing.

Best Original
Screenplay:American Hustle

Why not Blue Jasmine, the film written by your friend Woody Allen?

I often choose personal friendship when I am torn
between two almost equally good options, but in this case I'm friends with both
David and Woody, so that doesn't help. … I'm going for American Hustle because
Woody has already been overwhelmingly rewarded. I feel very badly about the
absurd bullshit that's flying Woody's way, but that can't intrude one way or
the other on voting.

Best Animated Feature: None

Why would you abstain from the most fun category?

I have seen none of them. I have no interest
whatsoever. That ended when I was 6. My son dragged me to a few when he was 6;
I would seat him and go outside and make phone calls.

Best Documentary Feature: None

Not even a single one?

Even with its new rules, the documentary category
has about as much claim to legitimacy as the Bush-Gore presidential election.
It's an incestuous little club.

Best Original Score: None

Why? Do you hate music?

I found all five scores inferior.

Best Original Song: None

There's not even one that's better than the others?

I didn't vote because I regard all four songs as
utterly inferior and not worth voting for. To dignify any of them with a vote
is to suggest that they're worthy of a nomination, and they're not; they're
just bad songs.

Best Visual Effects:Gravity

Why not any of the others?

Four of them are completely without interest of
any kind whatsoever on any level, and Gravity's effects, in 3D, anyway,
are terrific. So this isn't even a contest.

Best Animated Short, Best Documentary
Short, and Best Live-Action Short: None

You don't have any friends who need votes?

I don't watch the shorts. And, if I don't know
anybody who made one of them — a friend or an enemy — I just don't vote,
which was the case this year.